The vast majority of wallet-style handgun holsters come with certain drawbacks. Principal among them is that the butt end of the gun, which faces upward, is not completely covered by the holster. This carries a risk to the user that a person in close proximity might see down into the pocket and spot the weapon. In some places and situations this can lead to adverse reactions and negative consequences, even if the weapon is legally carried and not prohibited by policy of the property owner. It is therefore desirable to have the weapon fully concealed from view in such situations. It is also desirable to be able to deploy the weapon faster than what is permitted by current wallet-style holsters that fully conceal the weapon.
Some existing wallet holsters consist of a single unfolded rectangular piece of stiff leather, with the holster affixed to one side, and are designed to have the pistol drawn from the holster while inside the pocket. While this method works well for some users, many have difficulty mastering the techniques for drawing. Also, many of these holsters tend to cling to the gun and be drawn from the pocket along with it, interfering with deployment of the weapon. These holsters are also typically the ones that have no covering over the butt to conceal it completely while in the pocket. Some of these types of holsters do have an additional small leather flap on the top end that is made to hide the weapon completely, but this flap can interfere further with the drawing of the weapon.
Other types of wallet holsters are made to hold the gun and holster together as one unit, and permit firing of the gun while still inside the holster. While being a viable option for many people, these holsters also do not fully conceal the butt or slide of the weapon, as that would interfere with operation of the slide. Some of these types of holsters are made to cover the entire weapon however, while permitting the handgun to be fired while inside of it, and these holsters can run afoul of Federal NFA regulations relating to “any other weapon,” which cover firearms that are disguised to look like objects other than firearms.
Other wallet holsters are made with a folded leather covering that completely covers the outside and the butt of the weapon, but these typically utilize a conventional holster within the covering, which the pistol must be drawn from, substantially slowing deployment.
The inventor knows of no wallet-style holster that fully conceals the back end of the pistol from view while in the pocket, utilizes dimensions as small as the outside dimensions of the pistol, and permits the pistol to be quickly and easily flipped or dropped out of the wallet holster upon removal from the pocket and opening, without need to draw the pistol from another containment device inside the wallet covering.